By Leo Nelson||TNRGH
Ghana is preparing a new wave of industrial and agribusiness policies aimed at unlocking an estimated $2.5 billion in lost value from unprocessed agricultural exports, as government steps up efforts to scale local enterprises and attract investment.
Speaking at the Kwahu Business Forum under the theme “The Future of Business: The Role of the Financial Sector,” Trade Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare said the country’s challenge is no longer entrepreneurial capacity but the conditions needed to expand businesses. “The constraint has never been ingenuity. The constraint has been skill and conditions necessary to achieve it,” she said.
The forum, attended by President John Mahama, central bank officials and private sector leaders, reflects a broader policy shift toward private sector-led growth, with a focus on industrialisation and access to finance.
Ofosu-Adjare said her ministry has developed sector-specific industrial policy frameworks covering textiles and garments, pharmaceuticals and automotive components, which are expected to be submitted to Cabinet in the coming months. The policies are designed to provide regulatory clarity, investment incentives and standards to support enterprise growth.
At the same time, government is repositioning special economic zones into what she described as “active industrial ecosystems” focused on agro-processing and light manufacturing, moving away from their traditional role as export enclaves.
A national agribusiness policy has also been finalized and submitted for approval, targeting value addition across agricultural supply chains. “Ghana loses an estimated $2.5 billion annually in unrealized value from raw agricultural produce alone, an amount that represents not a lament but a clear opportunity this government is determined to seize,” she said.
The strategy is closely tied to Ghana’s role as host of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat, with the government aiming to position local firms to compete across regional markets.
“We are working to ensure that enterprises have access to rules of origin certification, tariff intelligence and market linkages necessary to compete and win in the continental markets,” Ofosu-Adjare said. The minister stressed that policy reforms alone will not be sufficient without stronger private sector participation, particularly in investment, technology adoption and governance standards.
The Kwahu forum brings together financial institutions, business leaders and development partners to address barriers such as access to capital, formalization and enterprise scale, highlighting the financial sector’s role in supporting Ghana’s industrial ambitions. The renewed focus on value addition and industrial policy seeks to reduce reliance on commodity exports and build more resilient, diversified growth models amid global trade uncertainty.